Huntsville gazette., 1887-12-24
FATAL KANSAS BLIZZARD.
AT LEAST SIXTY DEATHS FRO M
COLD AND STARVATION.

Given the Needy Christ m rs Present..
WICHITA, Kan, Dec. 23.-Additional and
final details of the results of the recent
blizzard have been received, which place it
as the worst ever known in the state. The
number of deaths by freezing and starva-
ton is now believed to be at least sixty.
Few eastern residents of the state really
thought such an alarming state of affairs,
and they are now most literally responding
to calls for aid. J. Packney, mayor Of
Ashland, Clark county reached this city
Yesterday morning, and from him the story
of the storm in that county was learned.
He said: "When the bizz ard struck the
western settlers last Monday they were in
many instances entirely out of fuel Sun
day was a mild and pleasant day, and no
one seemed prepared for the fearful storm
that followed About 10 o'clock on Mon
day, snow began following which soon
grew into blizzard The W ind came from
the north and the snow soon became bind
ing. 1t was almost impossible for any one
to travel in the storm.
"Two men named John Henry and John
Cotter, en- route to Texas, left Ashland an
hour before the storm began. Their bodies
were found the next day on the prairie, five
miles west Of town, frozen stiff The team
which they had with them was found fully
twenty miles south. The animals had
drifted with the wind, and becoming ex-
hausted, sank into the snow and died. As
soon as the storm ceased rescuing parties
left Ashland.
ga sod house was the first entered and a
pitiful sight met the gazs of the rescuers
The entire family of five, named Kanous,
were found frozen stiff. Some were sitting
bolt upright on stools, while the mother of
the family lay dead in bed. No fuel could
be found about the place. The rescuing
party gathered the bodies together and
brought them TO Ashland, where they wore
buried.
"Bruce G.. Freddy, real estate agent Of
Ashland, who has been out in thu country
looking at a claim, was found dead about
half mile from the limits of the town. He
had started home before the storm over
took him, but Lost his way and perished."
When Mayor Paclzney left his howe
wednesday no other bodies had been reco y
cred, but the town had been turned into
hospital for those who had not been fatally
which, in several cases resulted in amputa-
tion.
A gentleman from Greeley county gives
even a more startling account. Three men
left Horace county intending to go to
Claims, short distance from town. They
wandered around all night, and finally one
of them, Mr.. Gibbs, sank exhausted in
the snow. His companions could not induce
him to continue to tramp in search Of shell
ter, and were finally compelled to leave
him. His body was found the next day.
The other two men kept ON and finally
reached a dug out where they gained shell
ter Both had their arms, feet and ears
frozen and cannot live.
The same gentleman tells distressing
story of the death of an emigrant, togethNr
with has wife and child They went to
ranch just before the blizzard became seri-
GUS, and asked to be taken in and sheltered
The ranchman refused to receive them, and
after wandering on for some distance the
tblizzard became 30 severe that the horses
became unmanageable and turned the
wagon over, throwing out the mother and
child. The babe soon sucoumbed and then
the mother died. The father and husband
covered the bodies with the wagon box and
started out to find shelter for himself His
hallooing finally attracted settlers, and the
emigrant was taken in and warmed, but it
! was too late Both feet were frozen, and
before a physician could be summoned he
died
A widowed mother living with a sixteen
Year-old son and younger daughter, in
Comanche county, are dead, but their
names cannot be learned. The son was
sent out by his mother in search of fuel.
After waiting for some time for his return
the mother and daughter attempted to go
to the house of their nearest neighbor. All
three lost their way in the binding snow
and perished.
Three deaths are reported from Ford
county, twelve from Mead county and five
from Stevens county, but it is impossible to
learn the names as no direct communica-
ton is possible with those counties
Private dispatches from Lane, Scott and
Wichita counties give equally as horrible
details.
Mrs Riley and her two children we're
frozen to death near Dighton, Lane county,
while six deaths are reported from Greeley,
nine miles from Wichita, and three
from Scott county. Many new counties are
located from seventy-five to one hundred
and fifty miles from telegraphc communi-
cation, and details come in slowly.
Citizens of this city held public meeting
last night, to raise funds and provisions for
settlers, and the sufferers will be properly
taken care of. A train load Of provisions
will leave Wichita for the west in time to
reach the needy by Sunday, and will be
given them as Christmas present.
Other cities and towns in the state will
also contribute corn, wheat coal and cloth
ing and it is believed the state will be able
to take care of all sufferers.
The blizzard was the worst that ever
ragged over Kansas since it was inhab bited
and the mortality of stock is very large
The weather moderated little yesterday
Wreck in a Blizzard.
Rock RAPIDS, Iowa, Dec GA train on
the Cherokee and Dakota branch of the
Illinois Central came into collision yester-
day with a work train, which had on board
about two hundred track laborers. bliz-
zard prevailed at the time, which prevented
tho engineers from discovering the danger
until they were within twenty yards Of
each other. The engineers and iremen of
both trains were badly injured. Fireman
George Davis, of Cherokee, has since died.
Many of the laborers were slightly injured